1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable devices for supporting the upper body of a person when seated and, more particularly, pertains to a portable device for supporting the upper body of a person when seated sideways on a sofa.
2. Background Information
Sofas and other like pieces of furniture are designed to allow a person to sit facing forward with their upper body supported by a back of the sofa. The typical sofa also has an armrest at each end or side thereof that allows the seated person to rest their arm and/or provide a barrier to prohibit the seated person from falling off the end or side of the sofa. Like other types of seating, the sofa is designed to support the back or upper body of the seated person while that person is seated facing forward. Of course, a person may lie down on the sofa wherein the person's head is proximate one armrest and their feet are proximate the other armrest.
There are times however, rather than being totally supine, when a person sits on a sofa in a sideways or “longways” position such that the seated person's legs are supported by the cushions of the sofa and an arm of the sofa is proximate or abuts the seated person's lumbar region of the back. The sideways position provides a lap for the person while elevating the legs and thus is well suited for reading, laptop and tablet use, watching television, and more. A downside to the sideways position is that there is no support for the back, neck and/or head. Thus, sitting in this manner can soon become uncomfortable and/or create stress on the back, neck and/or head (upper body). However, because sitting sideways on a sofa is oftentimes desirable, it would be nice to have back, neck and head support when so seated. Currently, there is no portable back, neck and head support device for a person sitting sideways on a sofa or other like furniture. Because a sofa and other like furniture has removable cushions and side arms, prior art devices are not satisfactory.
For instance, a device that provides a portable seat and back for a stadium bench seat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,784 issued Dec. 20, 1949 to Thompson. Thompson utilizes a metal frame having first and second legs each one of which extends over the top, around the side and under a portion of the bench in order to grasp the bench and support a seat spanning the first and second legs. The first and second legs continue to become first and second arms that connect at a lateral upper portion thereof and which support a back that spans between the first and second arms. A lower lateral member is connected between the first and second legs for frame stability. The rigidity of the bench and the frame provide support for the seat and particularly the sear back. Such a frame system however, would not be usable with a sofa and particularly usable with the flexible cushions of a sofa and its armrests. Thus, such a frame would not be usable as a back, neck and head support for a person sitting sideways on a sofa.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,155 issued Feb. 16, 1937 to Alexander describes a cushion support for a side-less bed or couch in order for the cushion to be displayed in an upright position. A single piece wire frame defines L-shaped side members joined by an upper cross bar, base portions extending generally normal to the side members and joined by a lower cross bar, and extensions substantially parallel with the base portions. The base portions and the lower cross bar lie under the mattress with the edge of the mattress, fitting between the base portions and the extensions so that the support is in effect, clamped on the mattress. The cushion is supported on the extensions, side members and upper cross bar. Such a flimsy frame system however, would not be usable as a back, neck and head support for a person sitting sideways on a sofa.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,502 issued May 10, 1977 to Smith et al. describes an arm or cushion support (i.e. an arm cushion) for furniture and particularly side-less sofas (e.g. “day-bed” sofas). A frame extends under the seat cushion of the furniture and has two upstanding back frame members. An armrest or cushion is retained by the two upstanding back frame members. Again, such a frame system however, would not be usable as a back, neck and head support for a person sitting sideways on a sofa.
In view of the above, it is thus desirable to have a portable backrest that provides upper body support of a person sitting sideways on a sofa or other like furniture.